


when love takes you in

by foundfamilyvevo



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: (Except Rose Molina), Adoption, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Families of Choice, Family Bonding, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29533605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foundfamilyvevo/pseuds/foundfamilyvevo
Summary: Reggie Molina's eyes are bright and his cheeks are flushed, pure delight on his face as he nuzzles into Julie's fuzzy hair, with Carlos hanging off his other arm, and his laugh echoes across to where Bobby is standing.Across the courtyard, standing over the barbecue with tongs in hand, Ray looks comically paternal. He's turning sausages, but his focus isn't there; it's on his children and his sister-in-law, and his expression echoes all the same things Bobby is feeling.Or, Bobby and Ray both love Reggie, in different ways.
Relationships: Bobby | Trevor Wilson & Ray Molina, Bobby | Trevor Wilson/Reggie Peters, Ray Molina & Reggie Peters
Comments: 27
Kudos: 94





	when love takes you in

**Author's Note:**

> as per usual kat tumblr user sweetheartreggie and i were talking and i got carried away and somehow ended up here (thanks for the beta as well kat you are an angel).
> 
> in this au, the boys (including bobby) are around the same age as julie, and none of the canon-compliant death occurs except rose, who's only mentioned in passing. bobby is ace. i know it's not relevant to the plot but still. title from steven curtis chapman song of the same name, very reggie&ray

The courtyard is full of laughter and chatter and late afternoon sunlight scattered across the pavement and the grass. At this time of year the flowers in the Molina's garden are in full bloom, and the smell of the jasmine and dahlias remind Bobby of the past couple of summers that he's spent hanging out at this house, playing music in the Molina's garage with his favourite people, and how it's all lead up to this. Ducking and weaving through the small clusters of people, the condensation on his hand making his soft drink bottle a little slippery, Bobby narrowly avoids being knocked over by a wildly gesturing Flynn. Whatever story she's telling, it looks entertaining, but he's looking for someone else.

Scanning across the courtyard, he spots Julie, brighter than any afternoon sunbeam could be, with her arms flung around her brand new brother.

Reggie Molina's eyes are bright and his cheeks are flushed, pure delight on his face as he nuzzles into Julie's fuzzy hair, with Carlos hanging off his other arm, and his laugh echoes across to where Bobby is standing. Honestly, the feeling that swells in Bobby's stomach reminds him of being carsick, but he wouldn't make it stop if he could. Tia Victoria is planting a big, sloppy kiss on Reggie's cheek, making him glow like a flame as he's squished between his new family members. Like a puzzle piece in the perfect spot.

Across the courtyard, standing over the barbecue with tongs in hand, Ray looks comically paternal. He's turning sausages, but his focus isn't there; it's on his children and his sister-in-law, and his expression echoes all the same things Bobby is feeling.

Bobby hasn't spoken to him yet, not since before they went into the courtroom today, to watch the legal declaration of what they had all known to be the case for awhile now. When the judge had confirmed Reggie's legal adult adoption, Reggie and Ray had turned to hug each other tight, and Reggie had weakly cheered, _best birthday present ever!_ and they had all laughed and cried in equal measure. Grabbing another drink from the mini fridge, Bobby heads over to Ray and offers it to him.

"Oh, thanks, Bobby," Ray says, shaking his head a little as he's snapped out of his daydream. He turns the sausages and shoots Bobby a small smile.

"I know how long you and Reg have been waiting for today. Congratulations," Bobby says, and then wrinkles his nose. "Is that what I'm supposed to say?"

Ray chuckles, opening the bottle of lemonade and taking a sip. "Well, I think it's worth celebrating. So thank you."

Reggie is piggybacking Carlos and seems deep in conversation with Nick, though from this distance, Bobby can't tell what about. Their conversation is interrupted by Carlos, who has started play-fighting with Luke, and has subsequently pulled himself and Reggie far off balance. Laughing, Alex tries to catch them, and they all tumble over together, taking Nick out with them in the process.

"I leave them alone for five seconds," Bobby mutters.

Ray laughs and calls out to the boys, "Please don't break each other!" but he doesn't look angry. "It'd be a shame," he says dryly to Bobby. "He's only been my son for about three hours."

"I think it's been longer than that," Bobby says, mostly meaning it to be a joke, but it comes out pretty serious.

"I wish Rose could have met him," Ray says wistfully. "Met all of you boys. She would've loved you. Sometimes I feel like she sent you to us."

Julie's mom had died the summer before Bobby, Reggie, Luke and Alex had met her. Bobby knew it had been a hard time for her family, that Julie had only taken up singing again when Luke had talked her into it. Bobby's never been great with grief, though, so he nods and manages, "I wish I could've met her. I'm sure Reg does too."

Ray hums like that's enough. They stand in companionable silence for a moment, the sausages sizzling, the people around them moving from circle to circle, the sun slowly starting to set. Alex is rolling his eyes at something Luke said and Flynn is flicking Luke in the forehead. Reggie glances up and he and Bobby make eye contact over the tops of everyone's heads. The way Reggie's looking at him, right now, Bobby wishes he'd never look away again. Bobby gives him what he hopes is an encouraging smile, and Reggie's gaze softens, the excited pink in his cheeks turning a darker rose colour that Bobby can't help but adore, his freckles dark against his cheeks in this late summertime. Luke starts whinging, and Reggie turns to answer him, and the moment passes.

Ray's eyes flicker over to Bobby. "I know that you are... very special, to Reggie," he says, quieter than he was before, and somewhat tentative. Like he knows he's treading into intricate territory.

Bobby works not to flinch. He knows things have been different between him and Reggie recently, like before their friendship was one colour and it's faded through a gradient to quite a different shade. If he's realistic, it's been happening for awhile, but it feels acute in the last few weeks. The way Reggie looks at him. The way they've been falling asleep curled up with each other in the loft in the Molina's garage after band practice, ankles crossed and Reggie's head on Bobby's shoulder. The way Reggie makes his stomach turn, that carsick feeling.

And he knows that it's not invisible, knows it's only a matter of time before the people closest to them notice. It makes sense that Ray would be the first to say something about it, really. He drinks to avoid having to answer for a moment. "Is this when I get the 'if you hurt him, I'll bury you' talk?" he asks finally, shooting Ray his best cheeky grin and hoping it doesn't betray his nerves. "Cross my heart, sir, I'll have him home by ten at the latest."

To his surprise, Ray laughs and then sighs, turning the sausages and then leaning on the wall next to Bobby. "Honestly, I thought I was due to get a shovel talk from _you_." Ray nudges their shoulders together, so Bobby looks over at him. He's such a warm and honest person, Bobby knows Ray means it when he says, "And you would be well within your rights, _joven_. Reggie told me about how much you did for him, when things were bad." Ray pauses, like he's mulling over what to say. "If you were suspicious of me still, I'd understand. I promise I will do my best for him. And I am eternally grateful to you for looking after our _niño_ all these years."

The genuine tone in Ray's voice and the look on his face unexpectedly make Bobby feel transparent and vulnerable. Some part of him, some hidden piece, wants to know exactly what Reggie said about him.

He watches Reggie again (now involved in some sort of food fight with Julie and Flynn and the other boys, using the icing off his birthday cake) and takes a deep breath. It'll always tug at his heart, ache somewhere deep, seeing Reggie so happy. Just because Bobby was there through all of the shitty stuff, all the nights Reggie would turn up at Bobby's place, inconsolable, when his birth parents were screaming and breaking things and forgetting to feed their own kid for days at a time. There were so many times when all Bobby could do was hold Reggie and wish for things to be better.

When you've seen someone cry the way he's seen Reggie, he thinks, joy shining out of the same face can break you, a little bit. "I'm glad he has you now," Bobby says at last. "You'll do a better job than I did."

"Just different," Ray tells him slowly. "I get to be his dad, sure, but that was never your job. You're... something else, I think."

Bobby's ears burn. _Something else._ That's one way to put it.

The chaos of the icing fight is spreading, and a moment later, Reggie is knocked to the ground a second time, laughing as his siblings and bandmates and friends attack him with sugar. "BOBBY!" he yells, breathless, "DAD, SAVE ME! THEY'RE KILLING ME WITH CAKE! ON MY _BIRTHDAY!_ "

Ray and Bobby exchange amused looks. "The audacity," Ray tuts.

"Who's going to watch the sausages?" Bobby asks.

Ray shrugs, "We can let them get a little crispy, come on," and launches himself into the giggling mass of teenagers and kids on the lawn, letting Carlos delightedly smear icing across his nose.

Bobby can't help his own smile as he follows, tangling his legs with Luke's as he stumbles into the pile, bodily putting himself between Reggie and his many sweet-toothed aggressors. Reggie beams at him, and his hand grabs Bobby's, sticky with sugar and shaking with laughter.

It was all leading to this, Bobby thinks, looking into Reggie's sparkling eyes. All the awful nights full of tears, the helplessness, the wishing. It was leading to this all along; to Reggie being covered in sugar, surrounded by family and love. Surrounded by people who'd do anything for him.

Bobby links his fingers with Reggie Molina's, and holds tight. He doesn't care how carsick it makes him.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading!! kudos and comments are always super appreciated. find me on tumblr @sunsetcurvecuddles


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